Drag Queen to challenge Adam Schiff for seat in Congress

A drag queen by the name of Maebe A. Girl is challenging Rep. Adam Schiff for his Congressional seat. Maebe A. Girl suggests this isn't a publicity stunt or to gain attention. She simply thinks she can do a better job, and she is most certainly in it to win it.

"It really took a minute for people to take me seriously, to realize that I'm not doing this as a stunt, I'm not doing this as a statement," Maebe, 32, tells PEOPLE. "I’m doing this to run an election and win it."

Maebe currently serves on Los Angeles' Silver Lake Neighborhood Council. Maebe says representation from the LGBTQ community motivated her to announce in late June she was challenging Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff for California’s 28th district seat in the House of Representatives.

While Maebe says she has no personal vendetta against Adam Schiff, she feels as though he is no longer the right person for the job. As a member of the LGBTQ community, Maebe says she feels she could better represent places like West Hollywood and Burbank, areas that Schiff currently controls.

"We [LGBTQ people] are just as valid as any other member of society, and as such we deserve to have representation: accurate, actual representation," Maebe says. "That means having our community members being representatives — not just having somebody who is an ally."

Maebe says that she could have run her campaign "out of drag", but decided to run in drag because she feels as though she "has a more powerful voice while in drag", feeling more comfortable in her own skin.

"People can’t ignore you," she says, adding, "The irony of that is the fact that on a society level, we’re completely ignored."

One of the loudest voices in Congress when it comes to Donald Trump, Schiff for his part has long been an advocate for LGBTQ equality and supports many liberal policies. Maebe simply just feels she can better represent her community than he can.